Perpignan (AFP)
Licensed by the Australian Federation in XV for homophobic statements, Israel Folau seemed lost for rugby but he was able to rebound and will step on Saturday a rugby pitch in XIII with the jersey of the Catalan Dragons, after 10 months of stoppage.
"It's a new start for me," said Folau, 30, Friday in a (rare) interview with the newspaper L'Indépendant, confident that he had thought "to stop (his) career and do something else".
In Perpignan, he escapes the media storm that he started in Australia, where he was a star of the national rugby union team (37 tries in 73 caps) and Waratahs in Super Rugby.
Fervent evangelical Christian, he had not hesitated to write in April 2019 on his Instagram account: "Drunkards, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, idolaters, Hell awaits you. Repent! Only Jesus can save you. " Words that led to his dismissal in May 2019, a few months before the World Cup.
Considered one of the best backs in the world, Folau never went back on his statements, invoking the freedom to express his convictions.
But "he gave us all the guarantees of exemplary behavior", assures the president of the Catalan Dragons, Bernard Guasch, who succeeded in a nice move with the signature of Folau, a star at the price of a player of ... rugby XIII.
-Fronde from other clubs-
"He does not come for the money, he will earn much less here than what he touched in Australia, he comes to become again the great player that he was, to have fun," said the president.
Saturday at Gilbert-Brutus stadium, with the number 4 in the back, Folau will start against the Castleford Tigers, his first match with the Dragons, the only French club entered in the Super League, alongside 10 English teams and the Canadiens' Toronto.
With Folau, the Dragons hope to cross a course, and make forget the setback (32-12) against Huddersfield, at the start of the season, on February 1st.
The agent of Folau assured that the latter is still sharp despite 10 months of inactivity and the staff of the Catalan Dragons could see the good athletic form of the player.
Folau landed in France with his pregnant wife Maria. The club provided him with an apartment in the seaside resort of Torreilles, 15 km from Perpignan, and a car.
For six months, no activity on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Since his arrival in France on February 2, he has been discreet. And the club watches, to avoid any skidding.
- "Let him speak on the ground" -
By the way, the club faces opposition from the LGBT 66 association and the English clubs of the Super League, whose board of directors has legislated so that the championship organizers can have greater authority to s 'oppose in the future "controversial signatures" like that of Folau.
The prestigious English club Wigan has announced that on the day of its game against the Dragons in March, its players will wear rainbow socks and laces.
Former Welsh international (XV) Gareth Thomas, the first renowned player to come out, said he was "very disappointed" that Folau had joined the Super League.
Bernard Guasch, for his part, is rave about his player: "a good boy", "an extraordinary person of good manners, humility, well educated, far from the sulphurous image he carries".
"There are things that cannot be said, he understood. Now let him speak on the field. He will make his class speak, warns Bernard Guasch, a great player remains a great player".
For his return to the field, Folau received the support of his former teammate in Australian selection, Rory Arnold, now at Stade Toulousain: "It is good that he has a second opportunity, I wish him good luck".
© 2020 AFP